SELWYN COUNTY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9012, 26 January 1895, Page 4

SELWYN COUNTY.

The recent tioiely r&ia has done much good to all growing crops in the Selwyn county. The wheat crop, with few exceptions, will not be heavy, although it is anticipant that the sample will be above the average in quality. We do not anticipate more than an average of twenty-five to thirty bushels per acre. The unfavour able character of the early spring weather has told on the spring sown crops. Wheat cutting will be general before the end of the month. Oats are a fairly good crop. On the better lands the crops are heavy and will yield weU, probably from forty to sixty bushels per acre. This will be reduced by the crops on the lighter land, which, it is estimated, will brine; the general average down to thirty or thircy-flve. bushols per'acre. Barley is promising well; and with favourable weather for harvesting will probably yield 25 to 30 bushels. Reports all agree that the turnip area, which is a large one, has been got in in splendid condition. Early sown crops are now covering the drills, while the later ones are having a fine start. Farmers are undine; out the great advantage of the application of superphosphates to this crop; indeed, on the 'majority of soils it is little use sowing the seed without this stimulant. One cwt. to the acre appears to give satisfactory results on soils well prepared—in England 3 to 5 cwt. per acre would not produce better crops" than those generally grown in New Zealand. .

The potato crop has been immensely benefited by the recent rains, and promises to be an abundant crop, as does also the mangel, which is now being grown more than formerly. It ia an expensive crop to grow, nevertheless it is an indispensable one when dairy cows are kept, or, indeed, any kind of stock.

Id has seldom been our lot to have to report a better hay harvest or a more abundant pastures at this season of the year. It is more than probable that the area under clover will largely exceed thac of any previous year.

The familiar clatter of the harvester and binders will become general in a short time. Before this, takes place farmers should make a raid on their thistles and prevent them from flowering. The humble bee finds much congenial food in tae flowers of thistles-; it id, therefore, evident that the cutting off of this source of food must tend to drive the'bees Into the clover.